The capital of Cilicia, in Asia Minor. It ranked as a city of importance, called by Paul “no mean city.” It was a seat of learning under the early Roman emperors and was ranked by Strabo as even above Athens and Alexandria: it was Paul’s native place, and he visited it after his conversion (Acts 9:11, 30; Acts 11:25; Acts 21:39; Acts 22:3). It is now called Tersus, a small town, with scarcely any trace of its former greatness. The river Cydnus, which in the days of Cyrus and Alexander flowed through the city, now runs about half a mile east of it. The houses are mostly but one story in height, built with stones apparently taken from larger buildings.